Patent GB-643333-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to suspension systems for vehicles
IPC: B60G21/05
Filed: 1947-06-12
Abstract: 643,333. Spring suspensions. BALLAMY, L. M. June 12, 1947, No. 15556. [Class 108(ii)] A vehicle suspension system comprises, in combination, a pair of wheels carried by a corresponding pair of laterally-extending wheel-carrying assemblies, each of which is mounted upon the vehicle body by a pivotal connection acting about a single longitudinal axis, each of the assemblies being bodily movable angularly about the longitudinal axis and being constructed to hold the wheel in a predetermined normally upright plane for a given angular position of the assembly, the longitudinal mounting axes for the two assemblies being spaced apart laterally and mechanism coupling together the assemblies, so that bodily angular movement of one assembly (relative to the vehicle body) about its single' mounting axis causes bodily angular movement of the other assembly in the same angular direction about its sihgle mounting axis, whereby rolling movement of the vehicle body causes the wheels to become inclined in the opposite direction to the rolling movement, the pivotal connection being the sole connection of each assembly to the body, apart from the coupling mechanism. In the arrangement according to Fig. 1, half axles 13 and 14, pivotally connected to a vehicle body 10 at 15 and 16 respectively, are interconnected by a transverse lever 19 and links 21 and 22. The lever is pivoted at its midpoint 20 to the body 10 and is urged to its normal horizontal position by a spring 23 anchored to the body at 24. The wheels 11 and 12 are spring mounted to permit vertical movement of each wheel relative to its half axle. Damping means may be provided between the half axles 13, 14 and the links 21, 22 and may be arranged to operate in conjunction with the suspension devices for each wheel, particularly where these devices comprise oleo-pneumatic or pneumatic struts. According to the' Provisional Specification the damping means may be manually or automatically adjustable, and the wheel suspension may be of the wishbone linkage type or the type having the wheel carried by a longitudinally directed arm adapted to swing up and down, or of the telescopic guide type. In another arrangement, Fig. 3, the upper and lower ends of a vertical lever 30 pivotally attached to one side of a vehicle body 10 at 32, are connected through links 34 and 35 to upper and lower attachment points 38 and 39 respectively of a bracket 36 formed with a mounting 37 of a wheel 11. The wheel is urged downwards by any convenient springing means such as a tension spring 40. A transverse link 41 is pivotally connected between the lower end of the lever 30 and the lower end of a corresponding lever 31 associated with a wheel 12, whereby angular movement of either lever relative to the body effects movement of the other lever in the same angular direction. In a further arrangement, Fig. 4, as applied to the front steerable wheels of a motor car, two vertical levers 30, spaced apart and pivotally mounted at the side of a chassis 10a, are pivotally connected at their upper ends to limbs of a wishbone link 34, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of a bracket 37, mounting a wheel 11. The lower ends of the levers 30 and the lower ends of corresponding levers 31 on the opposite side of the chassis are interconnected by a transverse link 41, to the centre point of which is rigidly attached a transverse spring 45 having its ends pivotally connected to the lower ends of the mounting brackets 37 and 37a for the wheels 11 and 12 respectively. A liquid pressure force transmission system may be used-in any of the above arrangements to interconnect the wheel-carrying assemblies either directly or in conjunction with a rocking lever or equivalent mechanism.